ELDERS 1 Timothy 5:17-25, 1 Peter 5:1-4
Intro: Paul has already given the qualifications for elders in 1 Timothy 3:1-7, and now again speaks to Timothy directly regarding elders. These men are leaders within the church. The reason that there is so much emphasis on elders as leaders is because of the false teachers (1Timothy1:3) that Timothy was instructed to deal with. v17-18: 'Double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching' Elders who perform their role well are worthy of greater honor and respect within the church. It is a tough job and often a thankless task! There is a huge burden on elders as they carry the weight of the flock. 'Honor' could possibly refer to financial payment as well. For those whose gifting is preaching and teaching, the double honor could refer to payment. It is important to avoid the pride that come from teaching the word of God. Some see it as something to be grasped, they want the prestige of being up front. They want the praise of man rather than to glorify God and to exalt Jesus Christ.
"Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly." James 3:1
'direct the affairs of the church' – we get an insight of what that looks like in 1 Peter 5:1-4.
"To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed. Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away." 1 Peter 5:1-4
As part of directing the church, the elder needs to be a shepherd, i.e. one who cares for the sheep. Elders are entrusted with 'God's flock'. The flock or congregation does not belong to the elders but to God. You are His sheep and the elders are to carry out their pastoral duties related with His church. The sheep are under the care of the elders. The decisions that elders make can impact the life of the congregation significantly.
"Pastoring includes the duties of feeding, leading, guiding, guarding, and providing for the needs of those in the church—just like a shepherd does these same tasks for his sheep." Constable, Notes on 1 Peter
An elder is to serve willingly and not be forced into doing the role.
Some elders are paid and at E-free; we have three pastors who are paid elders. This is perfectly acceptable.
"For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages." 1 Timothy 5:18
Having said that, the role of an elder should not be pursued for dishonest financial gain (1 Timothy 6:3-5). Unfortunately, money can be a temptation for those in leadership. He should be eager to serve in the Lord's ministry, i.e. the work should not be a chore to him. An elder must not lord it over those who are entrusted to them. In other words, a shepherd should never hurt the sheep as this would be an abuse of his position and authority. Elders need to be examples to the flock.
'When the Chief Shepherd appears': as elders we are 'entrusted' with the task of shepherding but we are also accountable to God for the way that we care for his flock. This is not something to be taken lightly, but with the upmost diligence and responsibility. v19-20: The reason Paul mentions these procedures is because of the false teachers who were bad examples of leadership within the Ephesian church (1 Timothy 1:3, 1 Timothy 6:3-5). If there is an accusation against an elder of wrongful behavior, there needs to be two or three witnesses.
"Since elders occupy a position of responsibility in the church, they become a special target of Satan's attack. For this reason the Spirit of God takes steps to guard them against false accusations." MacDonald, Believers Bible Commentary
Only after there are two or three witnesses in agreement should an accusation be taken seriously by the church. If the accusation holds and an elder is to be found in sin, he needs to be rebuked publicly in front of the whole church. When an elder falls in sin it is a terrible witness not only to the church, but also to the world. The reason for this public rebuke is as a warning to other elders to take the role of elder seriously. As an elder, you are an appointed leader in God's church. You represent Jesus Christ as head of the church. It is a very important task that has a large amount of responsibility with it (1 Timothy 3:1). God expects holiness from his leaders!
"But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 1Peter 1:15,16 v21: Paul is charging Timothy with the importance of dealing with accusation and discipline with elders. In other words, he must keep these instructions in the church at Ephesus. Timothy is responsible for this before, 'God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels'. The sin of an elder cannot be swept under the carpet; it must be dealt with. There is no other option for this as it is an essential part of church conduct (1Timothy 3:14-15). v22-25: Timothy is not to be hasty in, 'laying on of hands'. I believe this to mean that he is not to rush into appointing elders. When leaders in a church are appointed, the elders lay hands on them and pray for that person (1Timothy 4:14). In context, poor appointment of leadership can be avoided by patience (1 Timothy 3:6) and proper assessment of an elder candidate. Remember, Timothy is dealing with inadequate leadership within the church. With regards to the 'sins of others' (v22,23,24), we are not told who this is. However, in the context of the passage and the letter, I believe that the sins would refer to the false teachers. Timothy is not to share in their sins but rather keep himself pure.
"Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity." 1 Timothy 4:12
Timothy is to example good leadership and eldership (v25). This is a contrast to poor leadership which is related to a sinful nature (v22,23,24). v23: Timothy was frequently ill and Paul knew about the stress that would come with his leadership in the church of Ephesus. Paul is recommending that Timothy drink wine for medicinal purposes. Wine was often drunk at meal times because the water was of poor quality.
Application: Pray for elders.